Voter Fraud: Reports of Fraud Across the Nation on Election Day Undermine Democracy

On Tuesday, voting had hardly begun when reports of voter and voter registration fraud started pouring in across the nation.

By 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Kentucky's state Election Fraud Holine had gotten 60 phone calls, including several reports of individuals buying and selling votes. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania residents received a suspicious letter which claimed that valid identification is necessary in order to vote. The sender falsely posed as the State Department and could be charged with mail fraud. There have also been alleged reports of shredding GOP registration forms in Philadelphia.

In Nevada, Culinary Local 226, a workers union, has allegedly conned illegal immigrants into registering and then threatening to deport them if they don't vote. An election worker in Clackamas County, Oregon, is under criminal investigations for reportedly filling in ballots left blank by voters.

And finally, Virginia officials are investigating a case of voter registration fraud, where a former employee of Strategic Allied Consulting is charged with disposing completed voter registration forms. Authorities are also looking into whether the firm was involved in this case, as it has faced accusations of voter suppression in the past.

The list goes on and on.

Though cases of voter fraud are generally rare and cases of voter suppression are even more so, the fact that they even exist is both shameful and disappointing. Here we are, trying to "promote" (or impose, some may aruge ) democracy and encourage suffrage in other countries, and yet we need to eradicate problems like these at home. What does this say about our country's character? Our morals? It almost makes me question whether we still have any.

I sincerely hope the answer is still yes.

Fortunately, most people do it the right way, casting legitimate ballots once every four years. These people would make our ancestors, who worked so hard to give people of all races and genders the ability to vote, proud; I applaud them for that. But all of us can and should do a little more.

When you go out to the polls today, think about this: a fraudulent vote for one candidate negates a legitimate vote for another. So, when you're in line waiting to cast your ballot, try to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.

In other words, as Sarah Palin wisely advised on her Facebook page today, "If you see something at the polls today that doesn't seem right, record and report it." Because voter fraud undermines the integrity of our republic.